Chatterbox: 27 November 2020

27 November 2020

Inside this issue: Flu campaign: Page 3 White Ribbon Day: Page 5 Design our courtyard: Page 7 Faces of SaTH: Page 8

Staff Survey: Last chance to have your say: Pages 9-13

Our volunteers are doing an amazing job supporting colleagues by giving out items purchased by SaTH Charity.

This week they were in the Ward Block at RSH and the support desk at PRH. We plan to have them out and about again next week and will let you know where and when.

Improving our work environment Following feedback from colleagues, our Estates and Facilities teams have been working hard to try and improve our working environment.

A number of projects have recently been completed with others to follow in the next few weeks. These include:  24-hour food vending machines installed this week at RSH and PRH, containing high-quality frozen meals and snacks that can be heated in the machine or taken to staff rooms and heated. The machines are in the Apley Restaurant at PRH and the Wellbeing (League of Friends) Room by the Ward Block at RSH.

 Takeaway Food Lockers being installed so you can have your favourite takeaway delivered to secure lockers by the main entrances of both hospitals.

Details of how to order will follow soon. We are the first Trust in the country to do this and others are now looking to follow suit.  The Estates team has organised heated marquees for both sites which will be put in place next week so that there is somewhere covered for you to eat if the restaurants are full. More details will follow soon.

These are just some of the projects the teams have been working on. For more information, click here.

Thank you to all those of you who have had your flu vaccinations so far. We want to ensure that every single one of you has the vaccination – this is to protect you, your families, colleagues and patients as we move deeper into winter whilst still in the midst of a pandemic.

As well as the protection it

offers, there are two other important reasons for having your flu vaccination now: You will be aware the COVID-19 vaccination will be available, hopefully very shortly, and you cannot have the flu and COVID19 vaccines at the same time. It will also help us to free up our flu vaccinators to support the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes

available, hopefully very shortly.

Our vaccinators held a clinic this week with no appointment necessary to make things easier for anyone who hadn’t had the jab. They are also visiting wards on both hospital sites. We hope to announce more soon.

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Colleagues, including Dr Arne Rose, Medical Director (below) supported White Ribbon Day

White Ribbon Campaign SaTH this week supported Telford & Wrekin Council in White Ribbon Day. Telford & Wrekin has been a White Ribbon accredited town since 2013. White Ribbon is a national campaign to encourage men to take a stand against Domestic Abuse.

At SaTH, posters were sent round to wards and departments at PRH and RSH for staff to sign a pledge and white ribbons were made available for staff to wear.

Pledges were also signed at a stand which was set up in the atrium of the Women and Children’s Centre at PRH. Anthea Sully, White Ribbon UK Chief Executive, said: “The need for our work is acute. Covid-19 has increased violence against women. The National Domestic Abuse Helpline which ordinarily logs around 270 calls and contacts from women, friends and family members needing support every day, saw an increase of 77% during June 2020.

“And in the workplace over 35 percent of UK women have experienced at least one sexist workplace demand since the lockdown started in March, usually around online conference calls.”

What would Alan do?

Calling all budding Alan Titchmarshes! SaTH has teamed up with waste and resource management firm Reconomy to look for ideas from budding designers for the renovation of a courtyard at PRH. As part of its ‘say thanks this summer’ campaign, Reconomy raised £14,600 to create an outdoor space that can be enjoyed by patients, staff and visitors – with the intention to start the work next spring. The courtyard will provide a space for people to relax, reflect or just have a bite to eat.

Reconomy and SaTH are now running a competition for design ideas – giving local people the chance to make a contribution to the project.

There is plenty of space to play with – around 440m2 – and all creative approaches are welcomed. Of particular interest are designs that reflect the experiences of 2020, for example rainbows, which could be used in art or through the choice of flowers for landscaped sections. There should also be consideration for seating and covered areas for use in all weather.

Tony Munro, Marketing Director at Reconomy said: “Seeing as the courtyard will be for local people and staff at the hospital, we feel it’s right to offer the talented people of Shropshire the opportunity to get involved with their visions for the courtyard.

“As Reconomy is a waste management company, we’re really keen to complete a sustainable project – so we’re looking for concepts that take into account recycling and reuse of materials. The idea is that the winning designer, or combination of designers, will be commemorated within the courtyard once it is completed.”

Julia Clark, Director of Corporate Governance, said: “As the challenges associated with COVID-19 are set to continue through the winter and beyond, the renovation of this outdoor area takes on even more importance. It’s a way of recognising the great efforts of our healthcare workers and supporting them as they continue to help patients on the front line.”

Entering our courtyard design competition is easy.

Simply visit www.sath.nhs.uk/ design-our-garden, where you will find all the information you need as well as a plan of the courtyard which you can download.

On that link, you will also find a form to submit your details and upload your completed design.

This space is for our patients and for you—so if you or anyone you know has a keen eye for exterior design, get involved!

The Infection Prevention and Control Team would like to publicly thank colleagues in the Estates team for all their hard work and cooperation in aiding with improved infection control measures at the Trust.

With lots of rapid changes happening the Estates Team has been on hand every step of the way, assisting with measures such as signage for hand washing stations and the new COVID mediscreens that are being erected at both hospitals.

Faces of SaTH This week our Face of SaTH is Critical Care Outreach Sister Fran Owen.

What's your role within the Trust?

I've worked here since 1996. I joined the Critical Care Unit in 1998 working my way up to Band 6 Sister, a position I held for 10 years before I moved into Outreach eight years ago.

The Outreach Team is called if any of the healthcare professionals have a concern about a deteriorating patient that may require escalation to HDU/ITU. We offer advice and support on anything that might be causing concern about a patient. We attend cardiac arrests, as we are trained in advanced life support, and provide training to ward staff on care of IV lines, tracheostomies, fluid balance, etc.

What changes have you seen since the coronavirus outbreak?

Just before the outbreak, the Critical Care Unit became a hub of activity.

Training for staff on PPE was high priority. Staff safety was paramount and there was naturally a high level of anxiety amongst our staff. Theatre staff and Endoscopy staff were drafted in, along with outpatient staff to receive basic training in looking after Intensive Care patients alongside ITU trained nurses.

Then things changed almost overnight. I was called to my first Coronaviruspositive patient who was deteriorating. I reviewed them with the ITU Doctor and arrangements were made for their admission to ITU. Sadly, the patient died three days later. Within the week, the ITU was full of Coronavirus-positive patients. Working in full PPE for 12 hour shifts became a test of endurance.

One of the main challenges was communicating with patient’s relatives. Very quickly, we had to get used to having difficult conversations over the telephone.

I remember speaking to one of my patient’s daughters and I was finally able to give her some good news after many weeks of uncertainty and say that her father was showing signs of improving. We both cried. Their family had become our family.

Read the full interview on our Facebook or Instagram pages.

LAST CHANCE TO

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Disability History Month The last few months have been challenging for everyone. The pandemic has led to isolation, separation from loved ones, disrupted routines and diminished services, which has impacted many of us and tested our resilience, particularly those of us living with a physical or mental disability.

Colleagues are invited to join a free resilience webinar, ‘The Making Generation R - Resilience Through Inspiration’, hosted by Making Generation R, Blesma and The Drive Project. The aim of the webinar is to inspire and motivate through experiencing an extraordinary story of overcoming adversity. Injured veterans from Blesma, the limbless veterans’ charity, will be sharing their stories.

The webinar sessions (via MS Teams) will be held on 8 December from 1pm-2pm and 16 December from 6.30pm-7.30pm. To attend one of the webinars please book your place via Eventbrite here.

This Disability History Month you could also support the campaign by:  celebrating the achievements of staff with disabilities  raising awareness of what a disability is – not all disabilities are visible or immediately apparent  encouraging leaders and managers to support staff through respect, empowerment and equality  encouraging staff to record their disability on the NHS Electronic Staff Record and have open conversations with their managers  check with staff that sufficient adjustments have been made to support those with disabilities to carry out their roles - onsite or from home Find out more at https://ukdhm.org

Reverse Advent Calendar Over the last five years the Safeguarding Team has collected for the Food Banks, Women’s Refuge, Shrewsbury Ark and Chernobyl Children.

This year the team is asking for items for the Foodbank – this year has seen more people use food banks and, as the public have also been so very generous to us in the NHS, it’s time to give something back.

Items required are: Food – tinned or packet food but especially Christmas Food, such as gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, crackers/cheese biscuits, Christmas Crackers, selection boxes, biscuits, custard, Christmas puddings, tinned fruit, tinned veg, tinned meat.

The team would also like small new toys and books for children who may not have much in the way of presents.

Items can be dropped off at the Women and Children’s Centre Reception at PRH or Children’s Outpatients Department at RSH between 1-18 December.

Sign up for these great offers today!

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Staff Support

Staff Support

Peer-to-peer listeners In many situations, having someone to talk to can lighten our load; when we are listened to this helps us to feel valued.

Therefore we have trained a group of staff from across the Trust as Peer to Peer (P2P) Volunteers to help support colleagues. P2P are trained to provide confidential, non-judgmental peer support, signposting to other internal contacts where appropriate.

P2P listeners are trained in supportive listening skills but they won’t be acting as counsellors.

Teresa Love, Nurse and Workforce Project Office, P2P Lead Teresa.love3@nhs.net Charlotte Beirne, OD Practitioner, P2P Lead Charlotte.beirne@nhs.net Ella Collison, ITU Staff Nurse e.collison@nhs.net

Angie Lunt, Recovery Staff Nurse angelamary.lunt@nhs.net Sarah Thomas, Senior Corporate Education Advisor sarahthomas@nhs.net Nerys Cox, Pain Nurse Specialist nerys.cox@nhs.net Jules Lewis, End of Life Care Nurse Specialist jules.lewis@nhs.net Lucy Stanley, HCA SAU lucy.stanley3@nhs.net Nyree Porter, PA nyree.porter@nhs.net

Rachel Hanmer, TCI Administrator Rachel.hanmer@nhs.net Adam Anderson-Woods, Library Assistant, adam.anderson-woods@nhs.net Samantha I'Anson, Corporate Educator s.i'anson@nhs.net

Viv Orme, Radiographer viv.orme@nhs.net Maria Scenters, Library Assistant maria.scenters@nhs.net Erica Davies, Barista erica.davies@nhs.net Sally Roberts, Barista sally.roberts23@nhs.net Elaine Evans, Nurse, TBC Caroline Callister, Workforce Assurance caroline.callister@nhs.net Nick Robinson, Leadership & OD Coordinator nick.robinson5@nhs.net Jeanette Barnes, Specialist Nurse jeanette.barnes3@nhs.net Petro Hryziuk, Champlain petro.hryziuh@nhs.net Megan Griffith, A&E Sister megan.griffith2@nhs.net Mervyn Williams, Champlain mervyn.williams@nhs.net Kirsty Wagg, Specialist Nurse kirsty.wagg1@nhs.net Lynette Charles, Specialist Nurse lynette.charles@nhs.net Jules Lock, EOL Volunteer juleslock@live.com Rachael Maskell, Corporate Education Assistant rachael.maskell@nhs.net